


Clueless

by orphan_account



Category: Biohazard | Resident Evil (Gameverse), Resident Evil - All Media Types
Genre: 5+1 Things, Can I get a gold star for that?, Claire has to take matters into her own hands, Claire is terrible at flirting, Eventual Smut, F/M, Flirting, Fluff, I can't believe I actually wrote something without gore and angst in it, Just a couple of dumb virgins, Leon "cinnamon roll" Kennedy is more like it, Leon is even worse at picking up hints, Please don't read it too carefully because it's secretly trash just like me, Romance, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-02
Updated: 2019-08-13
Packaged: 2020-04-06 21:28:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19071022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Five times Leon missed the hint and the one time he finally didn't.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [onehelluvafirstdate](https://archiveofourown.org/users/onehelluvafirstdate/gifts).



> For onehelluvafirstdate <3 Thanks for always being so supportive, kind, and loyal to my dumb works.

The heavy breathing that rasps on the opposite side of the line concerns him. Leon pulls the phone away from his ear and gives it a puzzled look before bringing it back to his face.

“Claire?” He asks, confused about the nature of the call. “Did you mean to call me?”

There’s the muffled sound of something being shuffled around and a hard _thud_ that makes him suspect that she might have dropped her phone. He hears her muted cursing in the distance and holds in his laugh as he waits for her to speak.

“ _Leon_!”

Her voice is uncharacteristically high-pitched and he isn’t sure if it’s because of poor reception or something else.

“Uh,” he hesitates, “Are you alright?”

“Umm, yeah!” Her voice is sing-song, but quickly drops an octave as she hisses, “Actually, no. Fuck Chris.”

Leon has no idea what to make of her commentary given the lack of context. Truth be told, he can’t even remember the last time he spoke to Claire.

“Why are we fucking Chris?” He asks, eyebrow raised even though she can’t see it.

He can hear her exhale slowly, breathing through her nose like she’s holding in a laugh.

“Oh my gosh, Leon. Ew. _Ew_! Not like that.” She pauses for a moment and he hears a glass clink against a tabletop. “He’s a dick and we hate him.”

Leon laughs and buries his face in his hand as it all begins to come together. Claire’s drunk.

“Come on, Claire,” he teases, “You don’t hate Chris. He’s your brother. You know...the one you risked your life for back in Raccoon?”

She hiccups, a high-pitched, mouselike sound that makes him smile even wider, “Ye-eaah...I regret that.”

He leans back against the headboard of his bed and looks up at the ceiling with an amused smirk on his face. It’s already half past midnight, but she hasn’t apologized for waking him.

“Why are you mad at Chris?” He asks softly, genuinely curious to find out what heinous crime had broken the seemingly infallible bonds of their siblinghood.

“Cuz he’s a diiiiiiiick…!” She sounds annoyed about having to repeat herself.

“I get that,” Leon retorts, “But why is he a ‘diiiiiiiick?’”

Claire’s infectious laughter echoes through the phone and he can’t help but to laugh a little himself. It’s not that he thinks he’s particularly funny, but more because she sounds so strangely adorable.

“Well,” he can hear her take a gulp of whatever she’s drinking, “He said I can’t be an Umbrella asskicker.”

Leon has no idea what she’s talking about.

“An Umbrella asskicker?” He asks for clarification.

“Oh, he didn’t invite you either?” She scoffs and he can practically hear her rolling eyes, “Well, Mr. Dickhead decided he’s gonna run off with his friends and make a super secret Umbrella asskicking squad and he said I can’t join.”

He’s not sure if she even knows what she’s talking about.

“Sounds pretty lame.” He admits, “I wouldn’t want to join anyway.”

The sound of her giggling ignites a warmth in his chest and his cheeks start to hurt from smiling.

“Where are you?” He’s a little concerned by the fact that she’s apparently drunk and alone in the middle of the night.

He hears the ice rattle in her cup and she snarkily comes back with, “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

Leon sighs as he climbs out of bed, flicking on his bedside lamp. The room is suddenly enveloped in a dull yellow glow and he winces, shielding his eyes from the sudden brightness with the back of his hand. He squints as he peers around his dimly lit bedroom and retrieves a discarded t-shirt from the floor.

“Yes, I would.” He says, dropping the phone onto his bed for a brief moment to pull on the shirt.

“Why?”

“Because it’s really late and I don’t think you should be drinking alone.”

He hears her breath hitch before she begins giggling.

“Oh, are you worried about me?”

He feels his cheeks begin to burn as he rifles through the drawer of his nightstand for his wallet.

“As a matter of fact...yes.”

Leon shoves his wallet in his pocket and jangles his keys loudly when he lifts them in hopes that the sound will somehow pressure her into revealing her location.

“Oooh, are you gonna, like... _arrest_ me, officer?” Her voice is smoky this time and it does something to him that he doesn’t quite understand.

He lets the door to his apartment slam closed a little more forcibly than intended in his haste to find her.

“If that’s what it takes.”

“I didn’t know you were so kinky, Mr. Kennedy.” She breathes into the phone and he feels embarrassed for whoever is sitting nearby.

“Just doing my job, ma’am.” He comments lamely with the best southern drawl he can muster.

He’s sitting in his car now, thumb hooked around the base of the steering wheel as he waits for her to instruct him on where to go.

“Well, if you _really_ need to take a criminal like me off the streets…I’m at Steve’s Bar.”

“I don’t know where that is, Claire.”

He hears more shuffling like she's holding the phone away from her face and she faintly calls out, _“Hey sir, where are we? Like, the street or whatever? I’m about to get arrested!”_

Leon doesn’t know if Claire’s a frequent flyer at that bar, but he hopes for her sake that she isn’t. He cringes as he listens to her speak and half-regrets the fact that he’ll soon be seen with her. When she finally divulges the address, he’s incredibly grateful to know it’s within a couple blocks of his apartment.

“So…” She chimes, filling in the awkward silence as he sits at a red light, “What are you wearing?”

He’s at a loss for words, face burning so hotly that he wonders if he might die.

“You know who you’re talking to, right?” He asks, concerned that she may be even more drunk than he initially thought.

“I’m speaking with Mister Officer Kennedy, sir!”

He hears someone chuckle in the background and he wonders if he should change his name after this is all said and done.

It doesn’t take long for him to find her in the dark, seedy bar. She’s sitting up front with her chin resting in her hands, pouting at the bartender who politely ignores her petulant whines for attention each time he passes by. He makes eye contact with the older man and mouths an apology, earning an amused smirk in return.

“Excuse me, ma’am, I’m gonna have to ask you to step out of the car.” He jokes, coming up behind her without a proper greeting.

Claire visibly jumps and pivots around on her stool to face him with a stupid, drunken smile plastered on her face as she gushes, “Oh, hello, Mister Kennedy Officer, sir!”

He’s not used to seeing her with her hair down and it temporarily stuns him. Leon hadn’t realized just how long her hair was and he nearly gapes at the sight of it falling in long, wavy tresses that end at her chest. After the initial shock wears off, he realizes that she’s dressed in a ratty, old t-shirt with a pair of plaid pajama pants and mismatched flip-flops.

“Claire, what the hell…”

She shrugs and then hiccups so forcefully that she nearly tumbles out of her seat. With surprising grace, she catches herself on the edge of the bar behind her and looks up at him, dark hair falling in her face as she smiles sheepishly.

“I’m glad you came to arrest me cuz I don’t...think...I can drive home.”

Her eyes are closed and she’s slurring her words as she sways back and forth on her stool. There’s a tinge of pink dusted across her cheeks and her chin is lifted upwards at just the right angle, like she’s expecting him to lean forward and ki--

Leon catches himself and shakes his head as though the force of the movement will fling the thought right out of his skull.

“Come on.” He slips his hands beneath her armpits and hoists her to her feet, but he isn’t particularly surprised when she stumbles forward and crashes into him. Her weight is too slight to knock him off balance and he wraps his arm around her back to steer her away from the bar and towards the front door.

Claire mumbles something under her breath, but he can't make it out. She leans her head on his shoulder and allows him to lead her to his car on her shaky legs. With the side of his hip, he keeps her propped between himself and the car as he fishes through his keys.

"You shouldn't drink so much." He chides as he opens up the passenger door, one arm still wrapped around her side to keep her steady.

Claire stands there, staring at the empty seat, unsure of what he expects her to do.

"I'm an a-d-u-…-u-l-t!" She says proudly, "I can drink if I wanna."

Leon sighs as he looks up at the sky, inky and dark without a star in sight. He doesn't feel like arguing with her, not in this shady bar's parking lot in the early hours of morning, so he moves forward to sweep her off her feet.

Claire lets out a squeal of surprise as she wraps her arms around his neck for stability. She's too drunk to figure out what he's doing until he already has her neatly arranged in the passenger seat and is leaned over her lap, tugging the seatbelt into place.

“Safety sure is sexy.” She breathes against his face and the heat of her breath makes him blush.

Claire trails her fingertips over the front of the seatbelt and shimmies a little in her seat, winking at him as she wiggles her eyebrows suggestively. Leon rolls his eyes as he slides back into the driver’s seat and glances over at her to ensure she hasn’t somehow managed to hang herself with her seatbelt in her drunken state.

He doesn’t expect to be interrogated on the way back to his apartment.

"Isn't your... _girrrrrlfriend_ gonna be mad that you're bringing a cute drunk girl home?" Claire teases as she fiddles with the radio.

"Uh, well…" He frowns hard as he comes to a stop at a red light, "I don't have a girlfriend, so I think you're safe."

Claire seems satisfied with the rock station she finds and leans her head against the window with a smile on her face, humming in tune with the music.

“Not even _Ada_?” She spits her name like it’s venom, her lips pulled into a pout.

Leon sighs, “No, Claire. Ada’s dead.”

“Thank god for that.” She grumbles under her breath and crosses her arms over her chest.

After a fleeting moment of silence, Claire is back to her bubbly, inebriated self.

“So, like…” She scoots forward in her seat to twist her entire body in his direction, expression serious as she continues, “...when I kill Chris, you’ll totally help me hide his body, right?”

He doesn’t answer with the swiftness she had hoped for and she noisily slams her hand down on the dashboard.

“Hey, I helped you kill some zombies! Like...lots of zombies! You can help me hide a body.”

Leon sighs and gives her a pointed look.

“Claire, you’re not going to kill Chris and I’m definitely not hiding his body because, for starters, I wouldn’t even be able to lift him.”

There’s a cheeky smile on his face as he responds and Claire grins brightly.

“But...you _would_ hide a body for me, right?”

Leon’s grateful to be pulling into the parking lot of his apartment complex at that moment and he all but jumps out of the car as he rushes to the opposite side to meet Claire before she can manage to fall face-first against the pavement. He offers her a hand and helps her to her feet, one arm wrapped around her hip, and he’s met with the smell of alcohol and lavender. Were it not for the former, he might have been tempted to lean in closer.

She stumbles up the stairs, but there’s no embarrassment on her part. Claire is all giggles as he places a hand against the small of her back to help keep her steady and she leans into him, resting her head on his chest just below the broad cut of his shoulder.

“You’re really warm.” She murmurs, slowly succumbing to the lull of sleep.

Claire wraps her arm around his body to pull herself just a little closer, embracing him as he nearly drops his keys outside of his door. He idly wishes that she weren’t so drunk, that perhaps she’d be willing to get this close to him while sober, but Leon tells himself it’s nothing personal. Claire would have been like this with anyone after all the drinks she had managed to throw back.

Still, he lacks the restraint to keep from taking just a _little_ advantage of it. He keeps his palm pressed to the curve of her hip as he guides her inside and he can’t help but to notice the smooth strip of skin that peeks out from above the waistband of her pants that are beginning to ride a just little too low.

“Your couch is so much bigger than mine…” She laments aloud, reaching out for it as he maneuvers her through the living area. He laughs at the comment and shakes his head, blindly fumbling for the light switch in his bedroom as he keeps his attention trained on her.

Claire’s eyes widen once the light reveals his bedroom.

“You’re...we’re gonna _sleep_ together?” She gasps, cheeks burning hot at the implication.

Leon’s heart skips a beat, but he tells himself it’s because he’s worried that he’s somehow scared her.

“No, I’ll sleep on the couch.” He says lamely, gesturing back towards the living area.

Claire’s brows furrow and she looks up at him, cheeks puffed out in anger as she questions, “Why? Cuz I’m not _Ada_?”

“I…” He shakes his head, struggling to come up with a response, “No, Claire...it’s because you’re drunk and you don’t know what you really want.”

She crosses her arms across her chest and he catches a glimpse of that tantalizing, forbidden sliver of skin beneath the hemline of her shirt.

“You’re so _dumb,_ Leon.” She scolds, “If I wanna sleep with you, I’ll sleep with you and it doesn’t matter if I’m drunk or not cuz I can sleep with whoever I want and that whoever I want is you even if I’m drunk but it’s not cuz I’m drunk and it’s cuz it’s you, okay?”

He has no idea what the hell she just said, but nods his head and reaches out to tuck a tendril of her dark hair behind her ear anyway.

“Okay, Claire.” He yields and moves towards the bed to pull back the blankets for her.

She climbs in with as much anger as she can muster, but she mostly struggles with her alcohol-induced clumsiness. He watches her curl up in the space he usually sleeps in and she pulls his extra pillow against her chest in an embrace.

“Not that comfy…” She mumbles and he laughs while taking a seat at the foot of the bed.

Claire nearly passes out the moment her head hits the pillow, but he lingers for a while to study the shape of her and how well she fills out half of his bed. Part of him feels ashamed for it, embarrassed by the realization that she looks even better in his bed than in his imagination, but a bigger part of him wants to store the memory away for safekeeping. He reaches out to brush her tousled hair away from her face and arranges the blankets around her a little more neatly before heading towards the couch with just a hint of reluctance.

Maybe, one day, she’d be willing to climb into his bed without alcohol on board and, much to his surprise, Leon sleeps easy with that dream in mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for making drunk!Claire so extra, but it was way too fun to write. Thanks to Xaori for validating my terrible ideas as usual. <3


	2. Chapter 2

In all honesty, Leon hadn’t planned on attending the celebration, but it wasn’t that he wasn’t proud of the accomplishments that his unit had achieved. He was the first one to shower his colleagues in positive feedback and was, perhaps, the most team-oriented officer in the entire division. Leon boasted a lot of pride in the fact that he was a police officer and revered his more seasoned teammates for their knowledge and experience.

More rather, it had much more to do with the nature of the event itself. The Raccoon City Police Department was hosting a ball to congratulate its officers for surviving a difficult year and Leon S. Kennedy didn’t know how to dance. The prospect of embarrassing himself in front of the decorated cops he was aiming to impress didn’t sound like a particularly exciting time.

With a sigh, he folded the ornate invitation in half and slipped it into the top drawer of his desk. Out of sight, out of mind was one of the proverbs he favored in life and he hoped that this would be no exception. Worst case scenario, he’d feign a bad case of food poisoning to get himself out of it at the very last minute.

Returning his attention to his computer, Leon began to click through his emails in search of feedback on his latest field report.

“Hey, Kennedy!”

Before he could turn to address his visitor, he was met with a heavy-handed clap on the back, and Leon inwardly groaned. He knew good and well just who it was without having to spin around in his chair.

“What’s up, Ryman?”

He forced as much enthusiasm as he could muster and grimaced as he watched his fellow officer plop down in Marvin’s space. Kevin kicked up his feet onto the desk’s surface and leaned back in the chair, crossing his arms over his chest.

“You comin’ to the party?” He asked, smirking slyly before continuing, “I hear  there’ll be plenty of ladies around, like that one journalist with the re--”

“Yeah, of course.” Leon lied, eyes fixed on the computer screen before him.

“Not to mention the fact that Hamilton always brings his sister. Hard to believe they’re related. That chick’s like a swimsuit model, but, you know, Elran’s wife is pretty easy on the eyes too...” Kevin paused pensively before quirking an eyebrow in his direction. “Speaking of, who’s your plus one gonna be?”

Leon shrugged, completely uninterested in entertaining the conversation.

“Probably just gonna come alone.”

Kevin snorted and rolled his eyes as he chided, “Come on, rookie. You aren’t gonna ask Redfield’s sister?”

Leon felt his face flush at the suggestion and he paused mid-click, swallowing hard at the mention of her. Why would he bring Claire? Considering the fact that Chris was her brother, she was probably pretty burnt out on police-affiliated events. Hell, if she even wanted to come, she’d likely just hitch a ride with Chris.

“Nah.” He lamely replied, hoping to close off the discussion.

Kevin laughed under his breath and shifted in his chair, planting his feet back on the floor as he leaned in close, elbows resting on his knees.

“I thought the two of you were dating.” He probed and the thought alone caused Leon’s heart to skip a beat.

“Just friends.” He tersely replied, slamming his finger against the mouse a little harder than necessary.

Kevin pursed his lips in thought.

“Does she know you’re ‘just friends?’” He teased and Leon gave him a pointed look.

“The hell is that supposed to mean?” Leon asked and Kevin simply laughed as he shook his head at the younger officer.

“Ah, to be young and dumb again.” He murmured before rising from the chair and strutting out of the office, abandoning Leon in confused silence.

* * *

 “So,” Claire asked around a mouthful of sandwich, “Are you going to that hoity-toity party Irons is throwing for you all?”

Leon took his time swallowing the swig he had taken of his drink before shaking his head, “Nah.”

Her blue eyes widened and she gripped the edge of the table, closing just a _little_ of the distance between them.

“Why not?” Her tone was incredulous, “You might be one of the ones getting an award!”

With a half-smile, Leon averted his gaze to the whorls in the grain of the table’s wooden surface and shook his head.

“Doubt it.” He lamented, “I’m just a kid to them.”

Claire clicked her tongue in disdain.

“I’m pretty sure half of them have a chair glued to their ass, so they don’t have the right to judge anyone.” She furrowed her brow as she angrily popped a fry into her mouth, “Besides, you’re a good cop. I’m sure _someone_ has noticed.”

The inadvertent compliment made something flutter in Leon’s chest.

“It’s not a big deal.” He insisted, “Besides, I can’t even dance.”

A bright, toothy smile broke out on Claire’s face and she cocked her head to the side to give Leon a knowing look.

“Leon S. Kennedy,” She began with a voice smooth enough to give him chills, “Don’t tell me _that’s_ why you don’t want to go.”

Leon coughed and took another hefty mouthful of water to buy himself time.

“Oh my _god,”_ Claire gasped, “That _is_ why!”

If he could have dug himself a hole to hide in at that very moment, Leon most certainly would have. Instead, he offered her no response and stole a couple of fries off her plate, busying himself with the task of stuffing his face.

Claire pointed at him accusingly and wrapped an arm around her plate to form a defensive wall between him and her fries.

“We are _so_ going to that ball and I am totally going to teach you how to dance.”

Leon hoped the shady Chinese restaurant near the precinct would be sufficient in giving him _actual_ food poisoning, lest he humiliate himself in front of his coworkers _and_ Claire.

It wasn’t.

Eight weeks later, he found himself nervously shifting his feet on the doorstep outside of her apartment despite the terrible health ratings the joint had received. The overly starched collar of his dress uniform abraded the tender flesh of his neck and he looped his finger around the edge of the fabric to give it a tug before ringing the doorbell.

Receiving no immediate response, he pulled off his hat and smoothed out his hair as he waited. Waiting for Claire to answer the door could very well have been the most tense moment of his life. He reckoned that he had to put it in his top five, falling just short of being chased by a mutant alligator and meeting Chris for the first time.

As he debated whether or not waiting for his exam results from the academy was worse than this very moment, the door to her apartment swung open without warning, and Leon decided that maybe this event actually trumped both the alligator _and_ Chris combined.

His breath hitched in his throat at the sight of her and Leon had to remind himself that respiration was vital for survival.

Objectively, Claire Redfield had always been beautiful, but Leon had no idea that she could be so _stunning._ Her hair was pulled back into a loose bun that allowed curled tendrils of hair to frame her ordinarily pale face that had suddenly taken on a warm, healthy glow on account of the make up she wore. A faint, peach blush stained her cheeks and her lips glistened invitingly, slick with something glossy and feminine that made his mouth uncomfortably dry.

Her dress was a deep shade of navy, one that impeccably mimicked the color of his dress uniform. The low, sweetheart neckline left the delicate curve of her clavicles on display and, when she leaned over to slip on her pearly heels, Leon was graced with a glimpse of the swells of her full breasts and he felt the temperature around them rise.

“I, uh... _hey.”_ He managed to speak and she gave him a look of concern.

“Are you okay?” She asked, reaching forward to press her palm to his forehead. “You’re _sweating.”_

“Just kind of dizzy, I guess.” He fibbed, “Ate some shady Chinese take out.”

Claire put her hands on her hips, drawing his attention to just how well the cut of her dress accentuated the hourglass of her figure.

“Please don’t tell me you ate at Wong’s Garden.” She pleaded and Leon smiled sheepishly.

“Guilty as charged,” He admitted, “But I’ll be fine. I’ve eaten gas station sushi at least twice in my life and I’m still kickin’.”

He caught Claire’s look of horror and smiled.

“I’m just kidding, Claire.” Leon reached forward to take her by the hand and she obliged, slipping her fingers between his as she pulled the door of her apartment closed.

“You promise you’ll protect me from your brother, right?” Leon asked as he opened the door to the passenger seat for her. “After all, you’re the one who forced me to come.”

Claire rolled her eyes as she gathered the fabric of her dress and slipped into his car.

“I promise,” She affirmed, “But it’s not necessary because he’ll be too busy staring at Jill’s ass to even notice you.”

Her promise might have set him at ease, but the enclosed space of the car nearly made him drunk on the scent of her floral perfume. She ranted about her professors and group projects throughout the commute, but he had been far too distracted to recall any of the details of the conversation.

Especially after he realized just how high the slit in her skirt rose as they waited at a stoplight.

Flustered and nervous, Leon was beyond grateful to have survived the drive once he pulled into the parking lot of the venue. With shaky hands, he cut off the engine and watched Claire flip open the mirror on her visor to carefully tuck away pieces of hair that had fallen loose.

“I look like a hot mess.” She commented, wincing at her reflection.

“I don’t think so.” Leon blurted before he could catch himself, mind focused on the flash of stringy white lace he had briefly caught peeking out from beneath the slit in her dress.

Claire smirked and gave him a playful look, “Oh?”

Leon cleared his throat and joked, “Yeah. You’re just a mess.”

He bolted out of the car before she had a chance to jab him in the side with her elbow and she hadn’t finished laughing before he was at her side, pulling open the door and offering her his hand.

“Come on, let’s go make a fool out of me.” He offered and Claire eagerly placed her hand in his, shivering at the feel of the night air teasing her bare shoulders the moment she stepped out of the car.

Leon had barely made it through the doorway before Kevin assaulted him.

“Hey, rookie!” He loudly exclaimed, clearly already a few drinks in given his volume and the rosy color of his cheeks.

Leon grimaced and nodded towards him in acknowledgement, but Kevin didn’t catch the hint.

“I see you brought your… _’friend’_ after all!” He chaffed, gesturing towards Claire with his glass.

In response, Claire allowed her tongue to dart out from between her lips in a childish, mocking gesture.

“I see you came all by your lonesome as usual, Ryman.” She retorted and looped her arm around Leon’s, dragging him towards the crowd.

“You know,” Leon whispered against her ear in order for her to hear him over the noise, “That was kind of mean.”

Claire shrugged as she surveyed the smorgasbord of appetizers nearby.

“He’s a big boy. He can handle it.” She coldly defended, snatching up a cocktail shrimp and giving him a coy smile.

Claire mingled with a few of the partygoers, making small talk as Leon attempted to melt into the wall. He watched her from afar, captivated by the way her face lit up as she engaged in conversation and comfortably laughed with others. She flitted about the crowd with confidence, blending in as though she were one of the RPD’s own.

He loved that about her, how easily she could make someone feel at ease. Smiling to himself, he looked down at his feet to memorize the grooves in the tile below in order to pass the time.

“Don’t think I forgot about why we’re here.” Claire spoke and the volume of her voice caused him to jump.

When had she snuck up on him?

“I was kinda hoping you would.” He confessed with a bashful smile and Claire responded by taking her hand in his and dragging him to the dance floor.

Once they came to a halt, Leon stood dumbly before her, his eyes seemingly locked with hers. His heart was pounding in his ears and he struggled to swallow around the nervousness that was thickly wadded up in his throat. With a knowing grin, Claire took his hands in hers once more and rested one on her hip as she raised the other, lacing their fingers together.

She draped her free hand over his broad shoulder and smiled.

“Fake it until you make it.” She advised and then she started to _move,_ stepping from one side to the next with such haste that he struggled to keep up.

Stumbling as he miserably failed in mirroring her movements, he nearly stomped on her feet more times than he would have liked to admit. Were his hand not braced against her hip for leverage, Leon thought that he absolutely might have tripped over his own boots. When she stepped back, he collided into her, causing her hiss under her breath and tighten her hold on him to keep from falling.

His face burned hotly and he shook his head, more than determined to leave. Surely his sad show of shambling about in the midst of the crowd was more than enough to appease her. As he twisted in her hold to search for an escape route, Claire laughed softly and took his hands in hers once more, repositioning them just as she had done previously.

“It’s okay.” She reassured him with a wink. “This is how you learn.”

Leon allowed her to lead, swooping from left to right, front to back. He managed to keep from trampling her feet and, as much as he hated to admit it, he felt that he was finally getting the hang of the motions.

That is, until he roughly bumped into a couple nearby, nearly causing one of his fellow officers to topple over.

After apologizing profusely, he turned back to Claire, face flushed bright red.

“No more.” He commanded and turned away, hurriedly scurrying out of the crowd.

Claire snatched him by his hand and tugged him back towards her.

“Don’t be a quitter.” She reprimanded and, when his eyes met hers, he found himself lost in the way they twinkled under the ballroom lights.

After a few more embarrassing mishaps, Leon managed to get his shit together. Fluidly, he maneuvered about the dance floor with Claire in his hold, feet shifting in tune with the beat of the orchestra. He bit the inside of his cheek to hold back a smile as another song came to an end, surprisingly pleased with his own performance.

Only then did she allow him to forfeit.

“Only because my poor feet can’t take anymore abuse.” She insisted from his passenger seat, kicking off her heels and rubbing at one of the blisters that had formed on her heel.

Leon felt a twinge of guilt at the sight of her reddened skin.

“Sorry.” He murmured and she rolled her eyes.

“It’s not your fault that I have to shop the bargain rack for shoes.” Claire argued, waving her heel in the air to gesture for him to turn as he nearly missed the turn to her apartment complex.

“Besides,” She continued, “I had a really good time.”

Having parked, Leon leaned back in his seat and reflected on the events of the night.

“Yeah, I guess I did too.”

This time, he wasn’t swift enough to dodge the elbow to the ribs, but he still helped her out of the car nonetheless. He followed her up the staircase that led to her apartment, mesmerized by the sway of her hips and the sleek cut of her calves as she tiptoed in her bare feet.

Once she unlocked the door, she leaned against the doorframe with a sly smile. Looking up at him through long, dark lashes, she huskily asked, “Do you want to come in?”

Leon looked down at his watch and shook his head.

“I’ve gotta get up early in the morning.”

Claire pulled her lips into a pout and shifted her weight onto one leg, giving him a healthy view of her toned thigh through the cut of her dress.

“I’m sure the world won’t end if you sleep in a little.” She insisted and Leon nearly gulped at the sight of her.

 _Just friends,_ he reminded himself. _It’s not like that._

Forcing a smile, he regretfully shook his head.

“You never know. It might.”

Sighing, Claire reached behind to pull the pin from her hair, allowing it to cascade in long, thick waves around her shoulders.

“If you’re sure.” She said, raking her fingers through her hair as Leon’s eyes followed her every movement.

“Yeah.” His voice was a little strained.

Stepping towards him, Claire looked up at him once again. The light outside of her apartment was warm and he lost himself for a moment as he counted the freckles smattered across her nose. He followed the bridge of her nose to the line of her jaw and how it melted into her neck, giving way to the perky globes of her breasts.

Shaking his head, he brought his attention back to her face and she smiled as she rose onto her tiptoes and brushed her lips against his cheek.

“Thanks for tonight.” She murmured against his ear, breath hot and moist, “Sweet dreams.”

When she closed the door, Leon barely heard the click of the lock.

Her lips were just as soft and warm as he expected.

 _Just friends,_ he chanted to himself like a mantra, _just friends._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't ask me what kind of universe this silly fic exists in because it's really just a bunch of fluff-oriented drabbles to give myself a break from all the angst I'm writing. Suspend your disbelief and just take in the sticky, saccharine sweetness that is baby Leon missing all of Claire's hints.
> 
> Please.
> 
> I'm begging you.


	3. Chapter 3

Leon couldn't blame his coworkers for forgetting his birthday. He told himself that he probably would have forgotten it too...were it not his own, of course. It was a Thursday and he couldn't expect his colleagues to want to go out to celebrate on a weekday night. Some of them had to work the next day and, really, is anything worthwhile  _really_  open on Thursday night anyway?

And, you know, the fact that his birthday fell on Christmas Eve didn't help much either. No, Leon wasn't upset that his colleagues had forgotten his birthday because, really, how could he compete with Christmas anyway? If it weren't for the holiday, everyone would have remembered his birthday. Someone would have brought a cake into the office or slipped him a card, for sure. At the very least, Rita might have told him happy birthday because she was thoughtful like that.

_Usually._

It didn't matter, though. Birthdays come every year, so it's not like it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that he was missing out on. He knew what birthday cake tasted like and he was long past the years of parties and presents. It totally wasn't a big deal. Maybe he could arrange his own birthday dinner next year. After all, he was usually the one celebrating everyone else's birthday around the office anyway. They probably just expected him to arrange it himself.

Leon glanced over at the clock on the wall and smiled to himself. 21:38—only three hours and twenty-two minutes of his birthday remained. Once the clock struck midnight, he could officially forget about turning twenty-three and focus on Christmas.

Christmas  _was_  the most wonderful time of the year, right?

He slid open the top drawer of his desk to peek at his phone. No new messages, but it was alright. Everyone was busy with holiday festivities. Family was important and he was glad that his colleagues were getting in quality time with their spouses and children.

Leaning back in his chair, Leon tilted his head back and closed his eyes. He still hadn't grown accustomed to the near-deafening silence of the precinct during the holidays. Being the rookie on the squad, he had been forced to work pretty much every holiday of the year, but it didn't bother him because it wasn't like he had any family to spend them with anyway.

Leon rubbed his eyes briefly before returning his attention back to the paperwork on his desk. The number of D.U.I.s he had detained over the last couple of weeks was surprisingly high and he was having trouble recalling the details of this particular arrest for his report. With a sigh, he buried his face in his hands and tried his best to recall which young, drunk college kid Steve Burnside was.

His boredom had gotten the best of him and Leon found that he had briefly drifted off to sleep, only to be stirred back to consciousness by a loud rapping at the office door. Jolting upright, he glanced over at the clock as he cleared his throat—22:08.

"Uhh, come in!" He called out, quickly flipping over his report for the sake of confidentiality.

The office was dark save for the cool glow of his desk lamp. Once the door had been pushed open, a warm, faint flicker of light spilled into the room and Leon raised a curious eyebrow. It reminded him of the billowy flame of a candle and it forced his breath to hitch in his throat. Did someone remember after all?

"Someone told me their birthday in passing once."

Claire poked her head in the doorway, her body hidden from the shoulders down, and clarified, "Not in a creepy way though. Hard to forget when it falls on Christmas Eve."

Leon almost laughed at the irony of it, but, before he could do so, she shimmied into the room with a kraft paper box cradled in her arms. From within, the golden light flickered and illuminated her face with a warm glow as she approached.

"How'd you know I was working?" He asked, trying his best to keep his excitement at bay.

Claire shrugged and carefully set the box down in front of him, "You're the new guy. The new guy always gets fucked."

Within the box, a small cake stood slathered in white buttercream and adorned with berries. A single, thin candle had been speared into the center and the flame continued to rage healthily. Moving a little closer, he inhaled slowly to appreciate the scent of vanilla and fruit.

"Happy birthday to you," Claire spoke in a singsong voice, tilting her head to the side as she smiled, "Make sure to wish for something awesome before you blow your germs all over it, okay?"

He closed his eyes for a moment before blowing out the candle with a single, quick huff that earned a light round of applause from Claire.

"It better have been a good one." She teased before stealing Marvin's chair from nearby and rolling up next to him.

Procuring two forks from the bottom of the box, she handed one to Leon and waited for him to take the first bite.

"So...tell me about the crime in Raccoon City," She suggested as Leon shoveled an impressive forkful of cake into his mouth.

Leon chewed thoughtfully with a shrug. Damn, it was  _really_  good cake.

"Just a bunch of drunk drivers." He divulged through his mouthful of cake, taking care not to spray her with bits of sponge and frosting.

Claire took a more modest portion for herself and chewed it slowly.

"I remember when Chris was a traffic cop." She wrinkled her nose at the thought. "He hated every second of it."

"Gee, that's reassuring." Leon responded sarcastically as he continued to all but inhale his cake.

After a few more bites of delicious indulgence, Leon set down his fork and gave Claire a curious look.

"Speaking of Chris, why aren't you spending the evening with him? I thought you guys were close."

Claire sighed before rising from her chair and heading towards the coffee maker nearby. Leon was impressed with her ability to navigate the temperamental percolator with such ease and the room was soon filled with the comforting aroma of coffee as the ancient machine struggled to brew.

"We are." She finally answered as she leaned against the wall nearby. "Close, I mean."

Leon didn't push the issue. He took another bite of cake and turned back to his paperwork.

"It's a hard time of the year for us." Claire confessed as she watched the dark liquid slowly drip into the coffee pot.

He remained quiet.  _Therapeutic_ silence, he had hoped, but the awkwardness got the best of him.

"My, uh...mom and I aren't that close either, so we don't really do holidays." He admitted, punctuating his profession with another healthy helping of cake.

Claire's cheeks puffed out as she held in a laugh.

"Please don't choke on cake."

Leon shrugged his shoulders and threw his hands into the air, palms up in a defensive gesture.

"If I do, it'll be worth it. What more could a man want besides a delicious, sugary death with a beautiful woman at his side?"

It took him a moment to realize what he had said aloud. Claire's bright blue eyes met his, wide in shock, and he attempted to rectify the situation by spearing a large square of cake with his fork and offering it to her.

"I'm an idiot." He said with a nod of his head and waved the fork in the air. "I hope cake will make up for it."

Claire stared at him for a moment as she crossed her arms over her chest, mulling over his words. With a sigh, she stepped away from the wall and accepted his peace offering. Popping the cake into her mouth, she made a couple of chews before jerking her head back in his direction.

"Wait a minute…" She winced as she swallowed the massive mouthful of cake, "Are you insinuating that I'm  _not_  beautiful?"

With a sly smirk, she watched Leon flounder. He opened his mouth to protest, but no words came. Instinctively, he reached for his fork to supplement his speechlessness with cake, but grasped empty air. Claire winked and waved his fork back and forth teasingly.

"Well?" She asked expectantly.

Leon swallowed hard because, really, beautiful was an understatement. It was almost an insult to refer to her as such, but he wasn't sure that he was permitted to say such aloud. Claire was a force of nature—strong, wild, and carefree. She was unlike any woman he had ever met. The mere sight of her bright eyes was enough to wind him and he often wondered how her body would feel against his.

How  _embarrassing._  He had no right to think of her that way. She was Claire Redfield, his best friend and the younger sister of the most terrifying officer in the entire precinct.

"It's not that." Leon managed to mumble. "You are."

Even from across the room, she could nearly feel the heat that radiated from the blush on his cheeks. With a laugh, she stepped forward to ruffle his hair affectionately.

"I was just kidding, Kennedy."

Leon laughed uncomfortably as she poured them both a cup of coffee, but his retort echoed through his mind like a mantra.

_But I wasn't._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short but sweet, just how I like it. I can't stop laughing at the image of Leon shoveling cake into his mouth to get out of awkward situations. How about you guys?


	4. Chapter 4

Leon grimaced as he took a sip of his coffee. Its flavor was startlingly reminiscent of dirt and, though he had requested more cream and sugar than he would have liked to admit, the barista had apparently served it black. With a dejected sigh, he placed the cup in his holder and gave the cafe one last remorseful stare before pulling out of the lot. It simply wasn't worth going back inside and confronting a teenager.

The night had only begun and he was already exhausted. He'd already issued five citations for speeding and arrested yet another college kid who was caught driving under the influence of alcohol. Glancing at the digital display on his dashboard, he noted that it was only half past ten. The night was still young in Raccoon City and there was no telling what it had in store.

Boredly, he drove down the main highway that cut through the city. Dispatch had been extraordinarily quiet since the last call had been nabbed by another officer and he was finding it difficult to stay awake. Though he was usually appreciative of the low key nature of night shift, the boredom that accompanied it was often unbearable.

In order to keep himself awake, he opted to scan the radio for the most obnoxious pop station he could find. He hoped that the repetitive, upbeat rhythms would annoy him into vigilance, but his search was short lived. Leon caught a glimpse of a car as it sped past and smiled to himself at its missing tail light.

Flipping on his lights, he pursued the car. Much to his surprise, the driver didn't hesitate to pull over onto the side of the highway. When he exited his vehicle, he placed a hand on his belt to ensure his pistol was secured at his side before approaching the car.  _Better safe than sorry_ , right? Clicking on his flashlight, he gently rapped at the window with his knuckles, beckoning the driver to lower the tinted glass.

He didn't expect to be met with a familiar pair of blue eyes peeking over the edge of the glass.

The window lowered in its entirety and Claire poked her head out, leisurely resting her arms on the door panel.

"Oh, hello there,  _officer._ " She greeted, waggling her eyebrows in a comical fashion.

Leon sighed heavily and relaxed, repositioning his flashlight to keep the light from stinging her eyes.

"Really, Claire?" He asked, gesturing towards the back end of her vehicle. "Speeding  _and_  missing a tail light?"

She leaned further out the window to peer back at the end of the car.

"It's Chris's." She defensively explained. "You should ticket him instead because he totally didn't warn me. I can't  _believe_  he'd let me, his precious little sister, drive around in such a dangerous contraption!"

Leon held in a laugh and smirked playfully in response.

"License and registration please, ma'am." He requested, tapping on the metal badge clipped to his chest for emphasis.

Claire stared blankly for a moment.

"Oh wait," she finally spoke, "You're serious."

"Mhm."

She wrinkled her nose in disdain and reached out the window to snatch the flashlight out of his grip. He opened his mouth to protest, but she interjected by pointing upwards at the map light above.

"This doesn't work either." Claire explained, rationalizing her theft. "Am I gonna get a ticket for that too, officer?"

Using the light provided by the flashlight, she began to rummage through her center console and glove compartment. Leon couldn't help but chuckle to himself when she opened the latter, causing a mess of discarded receipts to tumble out onto the floor.

"Gosh, Chris sure is a slob." She mused aloud while hoping the darkness hid the flush on her cheeks as she roughly shoved the pile of papers that  _totally_  weren't hers back into the glovebox.

After murmuring a string of expletives and rifling through several envelopes of junk mail that had been stuffed in between the seats, Claire produced the requested documents with a triumphant smile.

"Here you go,  _sir._ "

Leon leaned in her open window to take his flashlight back and studied her identification with feigned interest.

"Uh, my brother is S.T.A.R.S., so writing a ticket would just be a waste of time." She advised in a singsong tone as though he wasn't  _very_  well aware of that detail.

"S.T.A.R.S. has better things to do than worry about petty traffic violations, Miss Redfield."

Claire pursed her lips into a pout.

"You clearly don't know my brother. He has nothing better to do than beat up street cops who harass his sister."

Leon laughed as he passed the documents back to her and retrieved a pad of paper from his pocket. Miming the process of writing a ticket, he began to scribble absentmindedly on the page, earning a disgruntled groan from Claire.

"Come  _on,_  Leon. Are you really going to write me a citation?"

He shrugged as he continued to draw loops across the page, entertained by her frustration. With a huff, Claire placed her hands on the steering wheel and closed her eyes, collecting her thoughts as she took a deep breath.

"You know, officer…" She began, voice suddenly sultry and smooth, "Just between the two of us, we could work this out."

Leon suddenly found it difficult to swallow.

"Uh…"

He fumbled for words, hand suspended in mid-air with his pen still in his grip. Claire grinned as she shifted in her seat, tugging at the hem of her shirt. The action caused the neckline of her tank top to slip just a tad lower, revealing the lacy edge of the black bra she wore and offering an ample view of her cleavage.

Leon averted his eyes, desperate to find  _anything_  else to focus on.

"We could settle this somewhere more  _private._ "

He felt sweat begin to drip down the back of his neck as a tightness began to settle in his loins.

"That's…" He paused, mulling over his words as best he could with a fire raging deep within his belly, "Not appropriate."

She glanced at her empty backseat suggestively.

"No one has to know, officer."

Damn, his mouth was dry.

"God can see everything."

Rolling her eyes, Claire readjusted her shirt and crossed her arms over her chest in annoyance.

"Come on, Leon...are you really going to write me a ticket?" She asked, voice coming in a harsh whisper.

Leon loosened the collar of his shirt and forced himself to swallow the thick paste of saliva that had coagulated in his mouth.

"I might have to arrest you, actually." He managed to choke out. "For attempting to obstruct justice via seduction."

Claire smirked.

"Is it working?" She asked, batting her eyelashes as she spoke.

In response, Leon shook his head despite the dull ache that settled low in his stomach.

"I'm an upstanding officer of the law." He insisted, once again directing her attention to his badge with a pointed finger, "I cannot be swayed. Delivering justice is in my blood."

Claire snorted as she settled back into her seat.

"Justice my ass."

An awkward silence fell between them before looked back up at him.

"I'll buy you coffee if you don't write me a ticket."

Leon pondered the offer for a moment and the phantom taste of the disturbingly bitter coffee filled his mouth. Thoroughly persuaded, he nodded his head and did his best to hide his smile as he headed back to his car.

Coffee with a good friend was bound to keep him awake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's okay, I hate this Leon too.


	5. Chapter 5

Leon let out a sigh of relief as he stepped into the bakery, pleased to find that the shelf behind the counter hadn't been wiped clean in the late hour. His shift had just ended, leaving him with an impressive hankering for donuts and he smiled to himself as he caught a glimpse of his personal favorite confection of choice-a single pink frosted donut adorned with a generous plethora of sprinkles. Under other circumstances, he might have laughed at the irony of a cop with a donut addiction, but the need for sugary goodness was far too compelling to allow him to think twice about his dietary choices.

He greeted the teenager behind the counter with a wide grin, but she didn't match his enthusiasm. Popping her bubblegum, she gave him a bored look as she languidly murmured, "Welcome to Marguerite's, what can I get you today?"

Unperturbed by her behavior, Leon's attention immediately shot to the donut.

"A medium coffee, please," he began before pointing at the pastry, "And  _that_  donut, please."

The girl didn't even bother to look over her shoulder as she totaled up his order on the register. How could she know which donut he wanted if she didn't even so much as  _look?_

"$3.75." She stated, staring expectantly at him in wait for his payment.

Leon opened his mouth to comment on her lack of attention, but instead procured his wallet from the back pocket of his jeans and began to count out his change.

"The frosted one." He explained as he slid the cash across the countertop. "With sprinkles."

The girl rolled her eyes as she dropped his money into the register. As she moved to the coffee pot nearby to begin to fill his cup, the bell above the door chimed loudly as it was struck and Leon turned just in time to watch a man lock it in his wake. Before he could react, the man swung around, pistol in hand as he barked, "Everyone on the ground now!"

The barista let out a shriek and dropped his half-filled cup onto the floor, splashing herself with coffee as she squatted behind the counter. Leon grit his teeth and raised his hands in the air, palms exposed in surrender as he kneeled down on the ground as commanded.

"I want everything in the register!" The man quickly demanded before pointing his weapon in Leon's direction. "Or I'll kill this guy."

Leon sighed. All he had wanted was a donut. Perhaps this was God's way of convincing him to change his diet.

The girl let out a quiet sob as she rose from her hiding spot, nodding her head as she began to tap a series of buttons on the register. With an audible  _ding,_ the door popped open, and she gestured towards its contents.

"Put it in a bag." The man commanded. "And some donuts too."

Leon watched in horror as the girl reached for  _his_  donut. Out of all the pastries she could have chosen, why did it have to be  _his_? She could have given him chocolate frosted or even one of the disgusting cinnamon ones. Hell, any of them but  _his._

The man turned towards the counter, eager to receive his spoils, and Leon took advantage of it. Swiftly, he pulled his handgun from its holster that had been concealed by the relaxed fit of his hoodie and he stood at attention, finger trained on the trigger.

"RPD, put your hands in the air!" He shouted and the man failed to comply. Instead, he quickly turned to face Leon with a bewildered expression.

" _You're_  a cop?" He asked incredulously and Leon swallowed hard, nodding.

"You're under arrest. Drop the gun."

The man stared him in the eyes for a moment before lowering his hand. He moved to place his gun on the counter, but swiftly changed course. Leon gasped as a gunshot rang out and he clenched his abdomen in disbelief as a burning sensation came over him. The man appeared to have been stunned by his own actions and bolted out the door, leaving behind both the money and the sweets.

"Oh my god. Oh my  _god!_ " The girl shrieked, running around the counter to meet Leon. "He  _shot_  you!"

Pulling his hand away from his abdomen, Leon looked down at his palm to find it coated with fresh blood.

"Seems that way." He hissed, grunting through the pain.

"Oh my god, you're  _bleeding!"_ She observed aloud and Leon nodded.

"Can you call 911 or something?" He snapped.

All he wanted was a donut - just  _one_ donut. Why did fate have to be so cruel?

* * *

Claire was half asleep on the couch, having begun to drift off in the middle of some cheesy horror movie when the phone rang. It startled her awake and she jumped to attention with a gasp, ponytail whipping her in the face as she quickly surveyed her surroundings. Realizing she wasn't in danger, she let out a sigh as she reached over the arm of the couch to fumble for the phone.

"Hello?" She mumbled, voice still groggy with sleep.

" _Is this Claire Redfield?"_

She didn't recognize the voice and she paused for a moment, not entirely convinced that it wasn't a deranged axe murderer trying to discern whether or not she was home alone.

"Who's asking?"

" _This is Raccoon General Hospital. We're calling on behalf of Leon Scott Kennedy."_

Claire's heart skipped a beat as she jolted upright in her chair.

"Leon? Is he okay?"

" _We'd like you to report to the ER as soon as you can."_

"O-of course," She stuttered, rising from her seat in search of her keys, "I'll be right there."

Claire had to make a conscious effort to keep calm as she sped down the interstate, mind reeling with every possible explanation as to why the hospital would call her. Had Leon's appendix burst? Maybe he cut himself by accident? Did he get in a car accident?

She all but tripped as she clamored through the entryway to the emergency room, panting from sprinting through the parking lot. Panicked, she slammed her hands on the front desk and the receptionist gave her a hard look of disapproval.

"I'm here for Leon Kennedy." She breathlessly explained, paying the woman's reaction no mind. "Someone just called me."

"And you are?" The woman asked as she tapped away at her keyboard, eyes glued to her monitor.

"Claire." She responded. "Claire Redfield."

The receptionist squinted as she leaned forward in her chair to study her monitor.

"Alright, ma'am." The woman finally answered. "Your fiancé is in surgery. You can take a seat over there."

She stood slightly to point towards a row of empty seats and Claire balked.  _Fiancé?_

"Surgery?" She yelped. "Surgery for  _what_?"

The woman sat back down and continued to type away.

"A nurse will be with you shortly."

A nurse was  _not_  with her shortly. Claire sat for what felt like ages in that plastic chair, occasionally repositioning herself with a grunt of discomfort. She leaned back in her seat with her arms crossed over her chest, lips pursed into a pout as she impatiently tapped her foot against the tile floor.

Glancing over at the clock on the wall, she realized it was already half past midnight. She wasn't sure how long she had been waiting, but she knew it'd been a hell of a lot longer than  _shortly._  Just as she was about to leap out of her chair to harass the woman behind the desk once more, an older woman in dark blue scrubs emerged from the door in front of her.

"Miss Redfield?" She asked and Claire rose to stand with a nod.

"You can come with me." She cheerfully said with a smile. "Your fiancé's surgery went well."

The word echoed in her mind again -  _fiancé._  Was she dreaming?

"Surgery for what?" She squeaked.

The nurse frowned, eyebrows creased in a concerned expression.

"Oh, honey, I'm sorry. I didn't realize no one had told you yet." She took Claire's hands in her own in a sympathetic gesture. "Mr. Kennedy was shot."

Claire's eyes widened in alarm.

"Shot?" She repeated and the nurse nodded.

"He's awake now." She said, taking her hand in her own and beckoning her to follow down the length of the hall. "Come with me."

Claire felt a lot of things when she stepped into the tiny hospital room. Leon was resting comfortably in bed, eyes closed with a hand draped over his abdomen as he breathed slowly in sleep. The monitor at his bedside displayed several numbers that meant next to nothing to her and she tugged at the nurse's sleeve in question.

"His vitals are fine." She explained as though she could read Claire's mind. "He's going to be alright."

Claire thanked her as she stepped away, closing the door as she exited and leaving the two of them alone. Worrying her lower lip between her teeth, Claire moved to sit at his bedside.

"Leon?" She whispered, but received no response. Timidly, she placed a hand on his shoulder and gave it a gentle shake.

His eyes shot open and she was met with a pair of familiar blue irises.

"Claire?" He asked, voice a little hoarse. "You're here."

"Yeah." She forced a smile, vision distorted with tears. "Of course I'm here."

He grinned to himself as his eyes slipped closed once again in his drowsy state.

"Sorry for putting you on the spot. I don't have any family out here and…" He paused for a moment, mulling over his words. "They wouldn't have told you anything if I didn't lie and say we were engaged."

Leon didn't know why he felt something sink in his stomach at the sound of his own explanation.

"That's okay."

They shared an uncomfortable silence.

"Thanks for coming." He finally said and she responded by pulling him into a sudden, tight embrace.

The action caught him by surprise and it took him a moment to move. He awkwardly looped an arm around her shoulders to pull her in closer and, in their proximity, caught a hint of the citrusy hints of her shampoo. Leon smiled into her hair and rubbed her back slowly, unsure of what else to do as she clutched him.

"How the hell did you get shot?" She asked, making no effort to separate from him.

The warmth that radiated off of her made him blush.

"I, uh…" He winced before confessing, "I was trying to get a donut and some guy decided to rob the place."

Claire snickered, but the sound quickly dissolved into silence as she abruptly pulled away from him.

"You're serious?" She asked, eyebrow raised in uncertainty and all he could do was nod.

"God, Leon." Her voice cracked as she looked down at her hands that were draped in her lap. "Be more careful next time, alright? I don't know what I'd do without you."

He felt something flutter in his chest.

"You'd be fine." He offhandedly remarked, cheeks burning with embarrassment.

Claire insistently shook her head in protest.

"You mean a lot to me, Leon. If you get yourself killed, I'll be so mad that I'll have to revive you just to kill you myself."

Leon laughed a little at the thought. He wouldn't put it past her.

"I'm sorry, Claire." He whispered apologetically.

Claire sighed before leaning forward in her seat, bringing her face close to his. He could feel the warmth of her breath against his skin and his eyes fluttered closed on their own accord as he reveled in the sensation. His heart beat loudly in his ears and he swallowed hard in attempt to moisten this throat that had suddenly become dry.

He felt her lips against the corner of his mouth and nearly groaned at the softness of them. She lingered for a moment, mouth pressed between his dimple and lips, and she smiled against his skin.

"Next time you want donuts," she whispered, her lips faintly brushing against his with each syllable that she spoke, "Take me with you and I'll beat the robber's ass for you."

When she pulled away, Leon found it hard to breathe.

"Y-yeah, sure thing." He managed to gasp. "Beating up the bad guys. What else are friends for?"

All she could do was laugh as she buried her face in her hands to hide her disappointment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is trash but Leon x donut is my new OTP, guys.


End file.
